With the growing trend toward out-tasking network services, the issue of clearly defined and measurable service level agreements between businesses and their technology partners is becoming key.
"The need for technology assistance and network services in the world of digital commerce is growing," says Mike Maree, South African head of Dimension Data Global Services.
"Yet it`s not enough to just provide certain services - you have to ensure that both national and multinational corporations can rely on seamless services, whether within a single geographic border or across continents. And this involves meeting set agreements on service levels."
An integral part of Dimension Data`s Global Services Operating Architecture (GSOA) services model is MicroMuse Netcool, a software suite that enables the Group to manage and maintain its customer service level agreements.
"Micromuse`s Netcool software suite is one of the de facto standards in the industry, fitting in with our strategy of using only best-of-breed products in all aspects of the GSOA," says Maree. "It enables Dimension Data to provide proactive network management and deliver superior service levels to our customers."
Micromuse has become the leading provider of real-time fault and service-level management software. Its Netcool suite helps service providers to ensure the uptime of network-based customer services and applications. Managing these service levels is important in environments where business services are provided over a network infrastructure.
Netcool collects management data from more than 250 management environments and 25 000 network devices, including voice, data and Internet. Fault data is rapidly processed and filtered. The application allows operators to build views of service availability in realtime, helping them manage networks more efficiently.
By supporting voice and data networks, the Netcool suite is positioned to take advantage of favourable market trends such as the rapid increase in IP data traffic, Voice Over IP, E-Commerce, Web services, and Internet-based enterprises (intranets and extranets).
"Netcool is the industry leader because it installs out of the box, it`s easy to use, and it deploys rapidly, providing a quick economic return," says Maree.
Share
Dimension Data
Dimension Data is a leading global network services and i-Commerce solutions provider, focused on enabling enterprises, telecommunications service providers and new economy companies to communicate and transact effectively in an e-enabled environment.
Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Dimension Data is ranked in the FTSE 100 and operates in over 30 countries on six continents. The Group has achieved a compound annual growth rate in US dollars of 78% in revenue and 38% in basic earnings per share over the past two years.